


Imaginary Music -- REBOOT

by redpunda15



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff I guess, LadyNoir - Freeform, Reboot, This is a re-write, but not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-20
Updated: 2016-05-20
Packaged: 2018-06-09 13:13:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6908635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redpunda15/pseuds/redpunda15
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A re-write of "Imaginary Music"</p>
<p>He hates seeing that look on her face, one that he knows too well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Imaginary Music -- REBOOT

**Author's Note:**

> IMPORTANT! 
> 
> This is my re-written "Imaginary Music". It changed a bit here and there, but overall the plot is exactly the same. 
> 
> I was unhappy with the original, so I fixed it up a bit more so that it could reflect my writing style a bit better.

Adrien loved the quiet of the night. There was something intriguing about how an entire city, normally bustling and busy during the day could transform into a desolate wasteland when the sun went down. The noises of the city would vanish, leaving a dull silence throughout the night as civilians retired into their homes for the evening. Stray cars would drive by, and few shops or clubs would remain open after hours, but the overactive buzz that Paris was known for having during the daytime was all but gone from the empty streets.

Not that it mattered to Adrien. When he was Chat Noir, the quiet was welcomed. It was quiet enough for the restless teen to unwind from the tension of the day, but not too quiet to put his cat-like instincts on edge.

It also helped that crime was much more noticeable when there wasn’t a lot of bustling people and humming from the multitude of cars. His sensitive hearing would sometimes be unbearable during the daytime akuma attacks. With civilians screaming and running for shelter, an angry baddie screaming about something that was rage fueled and manipulated by Hawk Moth, and the already loud and tense atmosphere, Adrien much preferred the quiet patrols of the night. At least on patrol, Chat Noir could focus and search for potential trouble without a monstrous headache from all of the noise. Migraines became a constant when he accepted his role as Chat Noir, having heightened senses often meant an overload of well…everything. It was worth it, though. Being Chat Noir, fighting along Ladybug, protecting the city from Hawk Moth — it was completely worth it in Adrien’s eyes.

His patrol was fairly simple tonight, and did not last as long as Adrien would have liked it to be. While he was thankful that there was no trouble lurking about in the shadows, tonight just seemed off. There weren’t many people out on this brisk autumn evening. Not even a few straggling civilians. Adrien was relieved that there seemed to be no trace of an impending akuma attack tonight. Having faced a nasty akuma the night prior, the Parisian night was quiet, and the chances of being an attack tonight was more than slim.

Not that he minded.

Adrien was almost thankful that there was no attack tonight. This week had been merciless in its attacks, having four attacks within the span of three days. He realized suddenly that having this night off was a lucky break- even for an unlucky cat such as himself.

He would remain cautious…just in case.

His lucky streak seemed to continue to grace him with its presence, he realized, when he noticed his polka-dotted partner swinging in the distance towards their check point. Ladybug didn’t seem to notice him, not that he thought she would from such a distance. From what he could see, she was scanning the streets below as she swung from building to building, occasionally pausing to look out for any trouble.

Chat Noir smiled, knowing that she would finish her run of patrol before he would. She was closer to the Eifel Tower, he told himself, even though he knew that wasn’t necessarily the case. He wanted her to win this time. She would definitely boast (teasing, of course. His lady was humble, but loved to tease him, especially when she _thought_ she won). It was almost a race between the two of them — a simple, innocent game they would play. Meet up at the Eifel Tower, split the town in half, and patrol. Remain vigilant, quell any and all problems, and still make it to the last check point before the other. Simple, yet refreshing.

It was not uncommon for her to finish her half of patrol before him. Many times he would let her finish, in order to allow for a few extra minutes for him to collect his thoughts and embrace the freedom that came with the mask. There were nights, however, when duty would call her away and he would be victorious. He didn’t mind losing to her on those nights when he needed his alone time, seeing the triumph on her face was enough to bring him happiness. He refused to let her win _every_ patrol, though. He had an image of stealth and speed to maintain, and while letting Ladybug win did have some personal perks to Adrien, he knew that if he slacked off too much, his partner would definitely catch on to his act of letting her win. That would not go over too well. Ladybug was fast, but not _that fast._

Tonight was going to be one of those nights, he decided. It was about halfway through, when Chat Noir found himself watching over a lonesome couple walking home in the chilly night, that he decided to take a breather on a rooftop (not that he needed one, with his stamina and all). He chose a high rooftop, propped himself up against the chimney stack, and looked out over his home city. He looked towards the Eifel Tower, noting how beautiful the lights shimmered in the blanket of darkness. Paris was not necessarily a dark city, but the lighting of its most famous landmark was a sight he never tired from. The way the lights from the Eifel Tower in the distance shimmered as it towered over the dark buildings was a breathless sight, especially when they mingled with the glittering streetlights. Adrien found himself never being able to tire from it. On most patrols, his route would detour _slightly_ , just to bypass the great monument. Sure, it cost a few more minutes in their game, but sometimes it was so worth.

Chat Noir grinned from ear to ear as he jumped the few remaining rooftops to join his lady at the last check point. Her smirk was a triumphant one, as he had hoped, and her eyes sparkled with happiness and confidence. He found his grin growing ever wider as her melodious voice broke the silence.

“I beat you yet again, kitty. How many times is that this week?” Her smug grin widened, “Now, Chat, you haven’t been _slacking off,_ have you?”

Chat, playing along with her bubbling confidence, bowed low in front of her, practically feeling her smirk spread across her lips.

“It seems as if you have, my lady.” He rose with a matching smirk and a casual wink. “I believe this has been the second time this week, but I believe that it more of watching the beautiful sights instead of slacking off.”

She her smug grin melted into a more genuine smile as she looked out across the rooftops of Paris.

“You’re right, Chat. Tonight is simply beautiful.”

“Oh, well of course, Paris looks pretty okay tonight, I guess.” The cat-like superhero teased with a sultry smile towards his bug counterpart.

He heard her scoff at his antics, and he found his heart galloping in his chest.

“Watch yourself there, Chat.” She chided gently, nudging him in the shoulder in a playful manner.

Ladybug rolled her eyes as she turned to look out to the Parisian night.

“Any trouble tonight? It seemed pretty peaceful on my end.”

Chat watched as she breathed in the crisp night air in a content sigh, and he felt the sudden need to breathe in the early autumn’s air in as well.

“The only trouble that I see here is that my lady must leave sooner than normal, seeing that patrol was so uneventful.” He playfully teased, following her to the ledge and plopping himself down onto the roof tile, lazily kicking his feet to allow them to dangle.

“Don’t push our luck, kitty. If something happens tonight, I am blaming you.”

Chat didn’t need to look at her to know she had a slightly irritated look on her face, but there was no bite to it. It was all for show in her teasing, and Adrien found himself craving more of that flirtatious side of her.

The two of them settled into a comfortable silence, watching over the city of love from their rooftop. Normally, they would perch on their favorite spot on the Eifel Tower, but the wind had picked up considerably as the seasons went on. The warming summer breeze eventually turned icy, and it was only going to get colder as the autumn turned into winter. Chat Noir was not looking forward to the frigid weather that winter was to bring, much preferring the comfortable warmth of summer.

As the night continues to progress, neither superhero made a move to retire for the night, both longing to enjoy the patrol a few more moments longer. Although they both had school the next day, the teenagers did not want to part, finding comfort and solace in each other’s company.

Adrien felt Ladybug shift next to him, slightly scooting away from him, and he heard her let out a heavy sigh, one that did not sound as content as it should have been.

He glanced out of the corner of his eye to see Ladybug shiver slightly in the night with a forlorn look on her beautiful face — one that Chat had seen before many times — and a twinge of concern fell upon him. She was thinking about something, and it didn’t seem to be a good thing.

“Are you cold, Ladybug?”

She jumped slightly at his sudden change in demeanor, noting that his voice took on a quieter and calmer tone. Glancing at him, Ladybug was able to see the emotions splayed across his face. His eyebrows furled a bit under his mask as his eyes roamed over her face. She could see his brilliant green eyes swirl with troubled emotions as they searched her face. It was as if he was looking straight through her into her soul. There was so much concern and worry, but also something that Marinette could not recognize. She dismissed that thought as she focused back on his intense stare, which seemed to look into her and read her every emotion. He was always able to read her, even when her walls were up and at their strongest. She felt her cheeks heat up, flushing uncomfortably under his ever watchful gaze.

“Of course not, kitty.” She smoothly answered, hoping that he would take the bait and leave it as is. She wasn’t cold, at least not physically, but there was something weighing heavily on her heart. She couldn’t bring herself to face it, though. Surely she could avoid bringing it up on patrol, right? Wasn’t she known for having at least a little luck? Maybe all of this tension within her would just blow over by morning.

Ladybug wondered how far her luck could push her.

“Are you sure? If you need to go, I won’t be mad. We have already finished patrol, and I know that we both have school tomorrow. Plus, I wouldn’t want you to catch a cold, it is very chilly out here.” The intensity of his eyes only grew as he turned his body to face her. Marinette couldn’t help but notice that he looked like a coiled tight spring, ready to leap to her rescue. Ladybug could see that he was really concerned for her.

She put on a brave smile as she shook her head, screaming at herself as she let a small lie sneak out. She hated lying to him, but this was something that she could not easily explain as Ladybug. Marinette? Maybe. But not strong and confident Ladybug. Had she been in her civilian form and Chat had come knocking on her balcony trap door, she would have no trouble speaking to her partner, but she wasn’t at home in her civilian form now, she was suited up.

“Chat, you do not need to worry about me. Everything is fine. I just got a slight chill up my back.”

She hoped that he would be okay with her answer, and wanted nothing more than to go back to enjoying the beautiful night view. She wasn’t all that surprised when Chat seemed to only become more distressed. She could feel the sudden tension thickened uncomfortably. She almost flinched when he reached for her shoulder and gently turned her back to face him. She shot him a confident smile that did not quite reach her eyes.

“Ladybug…” Chat spoke softly as his dazzling green eyes bore into her blue ones.

“Yes, Chat?” Ladybug bit the inside of her cheek, hoping he would see her smile and leave the situation be.

Luck would not be that kind to her tonight.

“Please do not lie to me, my lady. Something is bothering you. You can talk to me about it. Cat’s honor.”

Ladybug knew that she could. Chat Noir was one of the few people — save for her best friend, Alya — in which she could truly trust. Chat had been with her since the day they had met (that fateful moment in which she quite literally fell out of the sky into his arms) and had not left her side since. Ladybug refrained a grimace at the thought of how devout he truly was, from his constant attention to his flirtatious attitude and cheesy puns. It even got so bad that he would risk his life to save hers — not even just once, but _twice_! She knew Chat would do anything to make her smile, commenting once before that he loved her smile. Ladybug bit her lip as she contemplated her choices.

She could lie and turn him down, playing his constant worry as nothing more than him overthinking the situation. Ladybug did grimace this time. If she did that, would he be upset? Would he know that she was lying and be hurt that she couldn’t trust him enough?

Or…

Could she open up to him, give into the temptation, and speak what was on her mind?

Part of her wanted to scream _yes_. Part of her wanted to be Marinette for once and fall apart, and let out all of her woes, and relieve that horrible ache in her chest. She wanted so badly to open up to Chat, knowing that he would be nothing less of a perfect partner, listening silently. He would wait for her to get all of the pain and hurt out, and then he would so casually make a sly remark in attempt to make her smile.

And _God,_ could he make her smile.

It didn’t have to be much, maybe something as simple as a joke or a pun, but it would always help. Chat had her back; he _always did_.

The smile that had started to form on her lips suddenly died.

The other part of her wanted to insist on no, to close him off, and to forget that the whole night had transpired. She could push him away; she could run, play off the whole situation as if it wasn’t worth talking about.

After a few silent moments, Chat Noir waiting ever patient as his partner internally argued with herself, Marinette came to a decision.

_It wasn’t worth talking about_ , she concluded. It wasn’t his problem to bear.

He already did so much for her. Not only aiding her in battle, but being her most trusted friend on this side of the mask. He was her rock when her life seemed to be washing away. He silently listened when she had to rant about something in her civilian life, which had been occurring more often as the school year progressed. He watched over her during their battles. He made her smile. He picked her up when she was down, even if he didn’t know it. He lit up whenever he saw her, and she knew that he was the most important person in her life. She loved her family and friends outside of the mask dearly, but Chat Noir captured her trust and her heart.

She knew that this was a dangerous game they played, being a superhero and saving Paris, but they knew the risks. He always lent her a shoulder to cry on, knowing when she was distressed, even if she didn’t know it herself. She would lean on him like a life-line, and while she had always restrained herself from allowing the tears to fall, the temptation to let them slip was always there. His offer to be her rock, her shoulder to cry on, always had a silent message between the two of them that said _‘It’s okay, I got you. You can cry, I am here, and I am never leaving.’_

But… she couldn’t do that to Chat.

He was the flirtatious and free Chat Noir _, her partner_ , and most trusted friend. She was Ladybug, confident and levelheaded. She had to hold it all together to uphold her image. She had to be strong for him, even if she knew she wasn’t. She would be his rock, too. If she broke down in front of Chat as Ladybug, she wouldn’t be “Ladybug” anymore. She would break down into the weak, shy Marinette. Marinette was no strong, unwavering force that everyone looked up to. She was no superhero. She was no protector of Paris.

Chat deserved _better._

“Ladybug?”

Marinette found herself jumping slightly as Chat interrupted her thoughts with a soft voice. She suddenly realized that she had not responded to his plea. She swallowed the guilt that was making its way into her throat as she gave him a genuine smile, although it was small. She noticed that he seemed to relax the tiniest but, but his gentle grip on her shoulder was still firm.

“I am not lying to you, Chat. It really is nothing to worry about.” She hoped that her voice didn’t tremble, even though her hands did. It was an action that did not go unnoticed by her partner.

Her guilt seemed to multiply as his eyes flashed with hurt. It was enough for her heart to drop to her stomach, and twist with unease and anxiety. She had hurt him, she realized. She had lied to his face, and he knew it.

Marinette felt like dirt.

He suddenly released his grip on her, turning away from her, and getting up from his sitting position, leaving her there on the ledge and not bearing to look at her anymore. He clenched his fist slightly as aggravation tore through his body. She was running from him again. Not physically _yet,_ but emotionally…

He sighed as he looked out to the glimmering sky. The stars were breath-taking. The moon was a mere sliver in the sky, but it was enough to illuminate the rooftops, but the stars remained glowing brightly. He found himself grimacing to himself as he inhaled the night air, noticing a sudden drop in the temperature.

Whether it was due to the city’s slow progression into autumn or Ladybug’s stubbornness forming an uncomfortable silence between them, he did not know. This was the kind of quiet that Adrien despised.

It hurt him to see her like this.

This was not the first time that he would catch a lost and empty look in her eye. He often found himself with the same look as he woke up every morning and looked in the mirror. Adrien shuddered. He knew that look well, it was one of deep pain. Seeing it on Ladybug’s face had made his heart clench. She tried to hide it from him, he knew that. What she didn’t know was that he had been masking that same look from his friends for _years_ and had mastered that art well.

Ladybug was not going to learn that skill, he decided.

She deserved everything good in the world, and he would be damned if he would see pain mar her beautiful, blue bell eyes.

She deserved _better._

Ladybug’s insistence in hiding her pain away was more than frustrating. He knew how defiant she could be. He knew how stubborn she could be. Hell, he _loved_ that about her. She would fight, hold her ground, and win him over with such fierce determination that it was almost bittersweet to see that same determination used against him.

Chat found himself smiling to himself as he thought of his polka-dotted partner sitting down behind him, but that smile was wiped away as he let out a troubled sigh. He could hear her behind him, her soft breathing able to be heard by his enhanced cat-like senses.

“My lady…” He started softly.

He heard her gasp quietly, and he resisted the urge to turn back around and wrap her into his arms for her sake. Her gasp sounded so lost, so broken. He could almost hear the guilt and regret echo through it. He hated the sound. He hated that his lady would make such a mournful noise, when she deserved the very best happiness, more so than he could ever hope to offer her.

“Chat?” She asked quietly, almost cautious, and he smirked with a sudden burst of his own determination filling his heart. No, she would not feel that sadness. She will not hurt tonight, not if he can help it. A sudden idea formed in his head, one that was almost foreign to him, a memory crashing into the back of his skull. His mother’s voice filtered around his mind, as she asked him a gentle question in hopes of distracting him from his own pain.

“Would you like to dance?”

He waited for Ladybug to collect her thoughts for a moment before slowly turning around and smiling at her. Ladybug’s face was shocked for a split second before it was replaced with confusion. The question was out of the blue, but not regretted.

“W-What?”

Chat almost chuckled as a tinge of pink dashed across her cheeks. Her eyes were wide, and he found himself falling into those beautiful ocean-colored eyes, drowning in the raw emotion that was shown there.

“Would you like to dance...?”

He repeated his question slowly, making sure to annunciate every word with clarity so that way she could understand what he was asking.

“…with me?” He added it on as a gentle afterthought and she immediately flustered.

“Dance? What do you mean? There is n-no music playing, Chat.”

Ladybug winced internally as she stumbled slightly on her words. She reprimanded herself. She was Ladybug now, not Marinette. She should not sound like a blundering idiot!

Her attention was turned back to her leather-clad partner as he let out a chuckle, a sound that pierced Marinette in her soul. She could feel her cheeks heat up again as confusion as to why he found this situation suddenly funny plagued her.

“Oh, my lady, there does not have to be music in order for one to dance.” His voice was raw with emotions that Ladybug could not decipher, and that somewhat made fear creep into her heart. “Or should I say, ‘two to dance’?”

She had most definitely hurt him. She wanted to cry, suddenly, but steeled herself firm. She should have just run when he had his back turned.

_Why was he asking her such a bizarre question?_

Marinette, underneath the mask, was silently hoping that he would laugh at her suddenly and tell her that he was only playing and that he should leave — that this was just a final joke to get her to break under pressure and spill her secrets, and that he would let her go when she would not respond.

She would not be that lucky, she realized. No luck in the world could ever give her that much to take and run with. She knew that he was hurting, and that it was her fault. Then why?

“I don’t understand, Chat.”

His answer was frustrating.

“Understand what, my lady?”

Ladybug tried to choose her words carefully, not able to read the emotions on his face.

“I don’t understand why… Why do you want to dance?”

Chat suddenly beamed with excitement, and to say Marinette was confused was a gross understatement.

“Why, what gentlemen would I be if I were to not ask my beautiful lady to dance with me under the stars?”

Ladybug almost took a step back. Was he serious? What happened? Did she miss something important? Her thoughts suddenly came to a halt as it registered in her mind what he had said. He had called her beautiful. Ladybug felt the blush rise to her cheeks again. This was nothing new with Chat, he was always throwing compliments her way, calling her everything to from sweet and kind to radiant and gorgeous. So then why did him calling her beautiful tonight rile her up so much?

“Oh hush, kitty.” A smile slowly forming on her lips, her troubles almost seemingly disappearing from her mind, only to be replaced with the confusion that her partner created within her.

Chat found himself grinning as the aching loneliness seemed to melt off of her face only to be replaced with bashfulness that he knew his lady had possessed but very rarely showed. She always smiled at his flirtations, but this one seemed a little more real, as if she was finally hearing what he was telling her. That made his heart thunder in his chest. He bowed like he had when he had first arrived, making his hands form the dramatic gestures that he was notoriously known for. He glanced up just to watch a smirk stretch across her face, and Adrien could not have been more excited in that moment than in his lifetime — an exaggeration on his part, but he would not let that glimmer in her eyes die tonight.

She would smile.

She would laugh.

She would forget her troubles.

And by all means…

She would not mask her pain any longer.

And he would be the cause of it, even if it was the last thing that he did while his heart still beat in his chest.

Chat rose up from his ridiculous bow and held his arms out expectantly, his smile making Marinette’s heart flutter. He cleared his throat quietly.

“My lady, shall we have this dance?”

Ladybug could not stop the small giggle that passed through her lips as she climbed up from her sitting position. She turned to him and gave a small half-curtsy in an attempt to play along with his ridiculous game, completely unaware that half of her partner’s goals were met in that moment. She righted herself up from the awkward curtsy and stepped forward, watching the lights from the city glimmer in his eyes. She paused before placing her hand in his to really read his face, looking for any signs of anger or hurt.

To her genuine surprise, she found none.

A blush made its way across her cheeks as she silently placed her gloved hand in his, marveling in how patient he was being with her. She stopped herself from chuckling. What was she saying, this was _Chat_. If she were to look up the word patient in the dictionary, his name would be printed there. Chat Noir was easily the most patient person she had ever met, much in contrast to her seemingly impatient nature. Although Ladybug was seen as cool and level-headed, it was easily Chat who held that position in their partnership. He was always kind and gentle in his waiting, dealing with some of the most obnoxious people with ease, where she would stomp around and become easily agitated at the slightest interference.

Ladybug looked up at her partner, her eyes meeting with his, and she found herself temporarily lost in his gaze. He was looking at her with so much happiness that it seemed to overflow in his posture. His hand firmly grasped hers as he seemed to sag with relief, still keeping his composure. Marinette wondered for an instant if he was afraid that she was going to turn him away.

For a moment she believed she would have, but the guilt that she felt for lying to him, mixed with his sudden attitude shift…. She couldn’t bear to hurt him again.

“So, Chat, could you explain to me how one dances when no music is playing?”

Her voice was much stronger this time, he realized, and her unwavering confidence was shining through. Chat could not stop the shiver that shot up his spine in anticipation. He couldn’t stop his playful smirk as he slowly pulled her towards him, bringing their bodies mere inches from each other.

“It is _purr-_ fectly simple, my lady,” he watched as she rolled her eyes in annoyance, a smile gracing her features. He continued, “Music is _paw-_ ays playing. You just have to simply listen for it.”

“Chat, your puns are horrible, and that doesn’t make any sense.”

He couldn’t stop the chuckle as he brought his forehead close to hers, staring intently into her eyes. Adrien internally gulped when he say Ladybug’s eyes widen a fraction as a pink tinge colored her cheeks. He tried to play it smooth, but to be honest, he was nervous. He wanted to see her smile, but he didn’t want to push her away. He knew that if he just didn’t tease her, then he wouldn’t have that problem.

But she was just too easy to fluster, and Chat couldn’t help it.

“That’s because you aren’t listening for it, my lady” His voice was a purr, he knew it. The way that her eyebrows shot up and the color deepening on her cheeks told him that she was indeed flustered.

Normally, Ladybug would push him away, flying away on her yo-yo, calling him a crazy cat. Hell, he wouldn’t be surprised if she did that this very moment, but Adrien knew she wouldn’t. He didn’t want to say anything in hopes of jinxing his normally bad luck, but lately Ladybug had begun to open up to him. It had been months ago after a nasty akuma, and they both were horribly reminded that Hawk Moth was no burglar that could be taken down with a perfectly timed yo-yo toss — he was no civilian that could be taken down by simple and effective means. No, Hawk Moth was a dangerous villain that used _very dangerous_ magic. Ladybug and Chat were able to take down the akuma, but it left them with unanswered questions as to why Hawk Moth did what he did. Ladybug had been the first to break the silence the next night on patrol, and she revealed to him that she was scared. He didn’t blame her — hell, he was scared too. Hawk Moth was not making their lives easier, and Adrien wondered how long it would be before they faced an akuma that could not be taken down. He shuddered at the thought.

“Chat?”

Adrien’s attention snapped back to the woman in his arms, and he let out a nervous laugh.

“Sorry my lady, no more _kitten_ around.”

“Chat? You aren’t making sense. Are you okay?” Her voice was full of concern, and he cursed himself for allowing her beautiful smile to disappear.

“I was simply lost in thought, now where was I? Oh! Yes, you must listen for the music.”

Ladybug tried to understand what had happened to her partner. One minute he was there, joking about the music, when suddenly he was lost in thought, his eyes glazing over. When he shuddered, she grew very worried, but he seemed to jump back into his happy nature and began rambling about non-existent music once more. She found herself smiling, relieved that Chat was acting like himself again, even throwing unnecessary cat puns here and there.

She trusted Chat, and if he did not want to divulge into his dark musings, she would not force him, just as he wouldn’t force her.

“How about you just lead me, kitten. I trust you to not let me fall.” She gave him a small wink, and his grin grew even wider.

“I would never let you fall, my lady.”

She believed him.

The cool air whipped around them when he suddenly pulled her flush against him. She fought the blush that rose to her cheeks, but he merely laughed. His laugh was warm and excited, but she could hear the slight nervousness in it too.

He was nervous.

Suddenly a brilliant smile formed on her lips, and she watched as Chat’s face became flushed and he sucked in a small gasp. Her smile grew wider, and she looked at him with so much trust and understanding that she couldn’t stop her heart from pounding in her chest.

“Then lead the way, _kitten_.” She repeated, making her voice a breathy whisper.

He mirrored her smile as his whole body relaxed, and she knew that his anxieties were gone.

He suddenly moved, swayed by imaginary music as he pulled her along with him. She stumbled slightly at first, unable to find a rhythm to match his movements, but he was patient with her. He began humming a tune she didn’t recognize, and he took his time, waiting for her to slowly become accustomed to the gradual movements until she found a comfortable pace to match his. He gracefully held her as they twirled and danced to Chat’s humming, the music playing in his head, and she found herself falling into his rhythm and staring into his eyes. They shimmered brilliantly, and for a moment, Marinette forgot herself in them, seeing only Chat.

She never wanted that moment to end. She never wanted to stop the music, only to dance with him all night. He never strayed from being the perfect gentleman, but that was Chat. He always looked out for her, and it made her realize suddenly how much she did not deserve him.

He deserved _better_ …

She could not stop the giggle that passed her lips, turning into a full blown laugh as they swayed and spun on the rooftops of Paris.

But for now, she decided, it would not hurt to indulge a little on this beautiful night with her partner.

She would dance with him, and she would go home and dream about the happiness that radiated from him.

She would forget all of her troubles when she hears his laugh intermingle with hers as they danced, carefree in the summer night.

She would feel giddy for the rest of the week when he winks at her, pulling her closer to him, flush against his body.

She would sigh the next morning as she is getting ready for school when their Miraculouses would blink at them, telling them it was time to depart.

She would almost forget her panic of sleeping in when she remembered his husky voice promising that they would definitely dance again as he dipped his head down to bring her hand to his lips in a gentle parting kiss.

She would be hounded by Alya for the week afterward when she ignores Adrien as she daydreams about her perfect kitty, one who made horrible puns and threw himself into danger for her.

One day… Maybe one day, she could truly open up to him, show him both of her lives with and without the mask, but for now…

Maybe luck was on her side after all.


End file.
